1984 (by George Orwell)
I've certainly read this before, but it must have been a long time ago, because there was much I'd forgotten about. Winston Smith, the Thought Police, Big Brother, and doubleplusungood were all ingrained in my mind. But the middle section of the plot, not so much.
I was hesitant to read it again because it's so relevant to today's world that it depresses me. But I persevered. I can't say it was really fun to read again, what with all the didacticism in book two and all the torture in book three. But it's not a book to forget, so I'm glad I re-read it.
"In a way, the world-view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird." (Page 129)
I was hesitant to read it again because it's so relevant to today's world that it depresses me. But I persevered. I can't say it was really fun to read again, what with all the didacticism in book two and all the torture in book three. But it's not a book to forget, so I'm glad I re-read it.
"In a way, the world-view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird." (Page 129)
posted by mo pie at 7:54 AM
1 Comments:
I've just come from your LJ, and am now, despite myself, wondering what certain young people would make of the Junior Anti-Sex League... Best not to speculate, perhaps.
Maybe I should read 1984 again as an adult, because (as you say) the fine detail of the plot has now escaped me, too, and I'm left with a general impression and a few vignettes.
Have you read Brave New World? It makes an interesting companion piece, I thought, though it might be advisable to read something more cheery inbetween!
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